Adhesive bandage package and dispenser therefor



M. B. MOSHEL July 14, 1970 ADHESIVE BANDAGE PACKAGE AND DISPENSERTHEREFOR Filed Aug. 6. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

MARTIN B. MOSHEL ATTORNEY M. B. MOSHEL' Jul 14, 1970 ADHESIVE BANDAGEPACKAGE AND DISPENSER THEREFOR Filed Aug. 6, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IIII II II V/////////////////// m INVENTOR. MARTIN B. MOSHEL ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,520,403 ADHESIVE BANDAGE PACKAGE AND DISPENSERTHEREFOR Martin B. Moshel, 588 Concord Lane, Westwood, NJ. 07675 FiledAug. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 750,577 Int. Cl. B65d 71/00 US. Cl. 206-632 18Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package in which an adhesive bandageor other flat, elongated article is wrapped has two flexible leavesseparably joined along their longitudinal edges to en close the bandagetherebetween with one end of one leaf constituting a tab projectingbeyond the adjacent end of the other leaf at which a rigid memberextends laterally thereacross and projects beyond the longitudinal edgesfor reception in grooves provided at opposite sides of an opening at oneend of a dispensing receptacle containing a stack of the packages withthe tabs thereof projecting through such opening, so that, when a tab ispulled in the direction to withdraw the respective package from thereceptacle, the rigid member of such package is retained by the groovesto peel apart the leaves and expose the bandage on the leaf terminatingin the pulled tab.

This invention relates generally to the packaging of flat, elongatedarticles, such as adhesive bandages.

Heretofore, adhesive bandages have been individually Wrapped, usually inpaper, and the resulting packages disposed in a receptacle or container.When it is desired to use a bandage, the wrapped bandage first has to bemanually withdrawn from the receptacle and thereafter the wrapping hasto be removed therefrom. In order to facilitate such removal of thebandage from its wrapping it has been proposed to provide the paperwrapping with a tear string which splits the same along one longitudinaledge when pulled along the wrapping, or to provide the two opposedleaves or plies 0f the paper Wrapping with tabs at one end which may bepulled apart to expose the adhesive bandage enclosed therebetween.However, the foregoing measures still require a two-step operation forobtaining access to a bandage, that is, the withdrawal of a wrappedbandage or package from the receptacle and the stripping of the paperwrapping from the bandage following its withdrawal from the receptacle.This two-step operation is annoying and objectionably time consuming,and the stripping of the paper wrapping from the bandage may bedifiicult to achieve, particularly when the bandage is to be applied toa wound on a hand or finger, as stripping of the wrapping requires theuse of fingers of both hands.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide adhesivebandages with paper or other similar wrappers for maintaining thesterility thereof and which may be easily stripped therefrom,particularly in response to the withdrawal of a wrapped bandage from adispensing receptacle containing a supply thereof.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a package or Wrappingfor maintaining the sterility of an adhesive bandage has two leavesseparably joined along their longitudinal edges to enclose the bandagetherebetween, with one end of one leaf constituting a tab projectingbeyond the adjacent end of the other leaf at which a rigid memberextends laterally thereacross and projects beyond the longitudinal edgesto constitute means by which said adjacent end can be retained againstdisplacement when a pull is exerted on the tab to peel the leaf havingsuch rigid member thereon from the leaf terminating in the tab and thusto expose the bandage.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a dispenser foradhesive bandages or other flat, elongated articles which are wrapped orpackaged as aforesaid includes a receptacle to contain a stack of thewrapped articles and which has an opening at one end through which thetabs extend and grooves facing toward each other along the oppositesides of such opening to receive the rigid members so that, when one ofthe tabs is pulled in the direction to withdraw the respective wrappedarticle or package from the receptacle, the rigid member of such wrappedarticle is retained by the grooves to effect the peeling of the wrappingand to expose the bandage outside of the receptacle in response towithdrawal of the package or wrapped article therefrom.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the leaf having the rigidmember thereon is perforated or otherwise provided with a laterallyextending weakened tearable zone adjacent such rigid member so that,after peeling apart of the leaves of the wrapping, a pull exerted on theperforated leaf results in separation thereof from the rigid memberwhich is left extending across the receptacle opening. If desired, thetwo leaves may be secured to each other, as by being integral, at theends remote from the tab and rigid member for separation as a unit fromthe rigid member, as aforesaid.

A further object is to provide an adhesive bandage package of reduceddimensions for dispensing from a receptacle as described above.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrativeembodiments thereof which is to be read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package according to an embodiment ofthis invention which is shown partly broken away, and in which anadhesive bandage is wrapped;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that the FIG. 1, but illustrating thepeeling opening of the package to expose the adhesive bandage therein;

. FIG. 3 is another view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing apackage in accordance with another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a dispensing receptacle for packagesaccording to this invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view which is partly broken away and in section,and which shows the dispensing receptacle of FIG. 4 in the course of theremoval of a package therefrom;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 on FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view, partly broken away and in section, ofa dispensing receptacle according to another embodiment of thisinvention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, itwill be seen that a package 10 according to this invention contains aflat, elongated article 11 shown in the form of a conventional adhesivebandage composed of an adhesive strip 12 and a gauze pad 13 on strip 12intermediate the ends of the latter, with removable protective strips 14and '15 of paper or plastic film covering the exposed adhesive surfacesof strip 12 and overlapping each other on pad 13.

The package 10 for adhesive bandage 11 is shown to comprise twoelongated leaves 16 and 17 of paper or other suitably flexible "wrappingmaterial which are superposed and separably joined together along atleast their longitudinal edge portions, for example, by a tacky adhesiveapplied along such longitudinal edge portions,

as at 18, so as to enclose the adhesive bandage 11 therebetween.

In accordance with this invention, an end 19 of leaf 16 projectslongitudinally beyond the adjacent end 20 of the other leaf 17 toconstitute a pull-tab, and a relatively rigid member 21 of wood, plasticor cardboard is secured, as by adhesive, to the end 20 of leaf 17 andprojects laterally beyond the longitudinal or side edges of leaves 16and 17 to constitute means by which the end 20 of leaf 17 can beretained against displacement with the leaf 16 when the latter isdisplaced longitudinally by a pull exerted on tab 19 in the direction ofthe arrow 22 on FIG. 2. Rigid member 21 may be in the form of a rod ofcircular cross-section, as shown, or it may have a flat, rectangular orother suitable cross-section.

In order to fully enclose or seal the adhesive bandage 11 within thepackage or wrapping 10 and thereby maintain the sterility of theadhesive bandage until the package or wrapping is peeled or strippedtherefrom, as hereinafter described in detail, the end 20 of leaf 17 ispreferably separably joined or secured to the underlying zone of leaf16, as by a laterally extending stripe 23 of tacky adhesive (FIG. 2),and the ends of leaves 16 and 17 remote from tab 19 and 20,respectively, are also preferably joined to each other either by a tackyadhesive, or in a relatively secure manner, as by being formed integralwith each other or by a relatively permanent adhesive. Further, leaf 17is preferably formed with a line of perforations 24 extending laterallythereacross adjacent its end 20 to provide a weakened tearable zone atwhich leaf 17 can be separated from rigid member 21 in response to arelatively strong pull being exerted on leaf 17 while rigid member 21 isheld against displacement.

As is shown on FIG. 2, when a pull is exerted on tab 19 in the directionof arrow 22 while end 20 of leaf 17 is held against displacement in thedirection of such pull by retaining the projecting ends of rigid member21, the effect of the pull exerted in the direction of the arrow 22 isto cause longitudinal displacement of leaf 16 in such direction whileleaf 17 is progressively peeled or stripped from leaf 16 so as topresent the adhesive bandage 1-1 in exposed condition on leaf 16. Afterleaf 17 has been completely peeled from leaf 16, and in the case whereleaves 16 and 17 are securely attached to, or made integral with eachother at the ends thereof remote from tab 19 and end 20, a continuedpull on tab 19 is transmitted through leaf 16 to leaf 17 to separate thelatter from rigid member 21 by tearing along the perforations 24.

In the embodiment of the invention described above with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, the adhesive bandage 11 is packaged or wrapped in itsfully extended condition. However, as shown on FIG. 3, the length of thepackage 10a in accordance with this invention may be substantiallyreduced by packaging or wrapping the adhesive bandage 11a with one endportion of its adhesive strip 12a being folded over the gauze pad toreduce the length of the packaged bandage and hence also the lengths ofthe flexible elongated leaves 16a and 17a required to enclose theadhesive bandage, which leaves are shown to be integral at the endsremote from tab 19a. The package 10a is otherwise similar to thepreviously described package 10 and has its several parts identified bythe same reference numerals, but with the letter a appended thereto,

Referring now to FIGS. and 6, it will be seen that a dispenser 25 foradhesive bandages or other flat, elongated articles which are wrapped orpackaged according to this invention generally comprises a receptacle 26dimensioned to contain a stack S of the previously described packages or10a and having an opening 27 extending vertically at one end of thereceptacle and of sutficient width to permit the projection therethroughof the tabs '19 of the pack-ages in the stack S contained within thereceptacle. Further, receptacle 26 has grooves 28 in the inner surfacesof its side walls 29, which grooves face or open toward each other alongthe opposite sides of opening 27 to receive the projecting ends of rigidmembers 21 of the packages 10 in stack S. As shown, grooves 28 may alsoopen longitudinally at the top edges of side walls 29 so that, prior tothe closing of the open top of receptacle 26 by a lid 30, the stack Smay be loaded into receptacle 26 through the open top thereof and havethe ends of rigid members 21 inserted in grooves 28 through the openupper ends thereof. Receptacle 26, as described, may be formed of metal,cardboard or other suitably rigid material, or it can be convenientlymolded of a suitable plastic, and the lid 30 may be molded integrallywith the receptacle, as at a thin web or selfhinge (not shown) whichconnects one end of lid 30 to the top of receptacle 26 at the end of thelatter remote from opening 27. Such lid 30 can be moved pivotally from araised or open position to the closed position shown on FIGS. 4 and 5following the loading of the stack S in receptacle 26, and the lid maybe heat sealed or otherwise permanently retained in its closed position.Alternatively, if it is desired to make the dispenser 25 reuseable, lid30 may be suitably retained in its closed position in a releasablefashion. Further, a removable cover 31, for example, of a clear ortransparent plastic, may be provided to fit over, and be frictionallyretained on the end of receptacle 26 having the opening 27 therein,thereby to enclose the projecting tabs 19 of packages 10.

As shown particularly on FIG. 5, the height of receptacle 26 is selectedso as to correspond substantially to the height of the stack S ofpackages to be contained therein, whereby rigid members 21 of suchpackages substantially occupy the full lengths of grooves 28.

When it is desired to dispense an adhesive bandage 11 from the dispenser25 according to this invention, the cover 31 is removed from receptacle26, and the tab 19 of a selected package is pulled in the direction ofthe arrow 22 on FIG. 5, that is, in the direction to withdraw theselected package from the receptacle. The pull exerted on tab 19withdraws the respective leaf 16 of the package from receptacle 26through the opening 27 thereof, while the end 20 of leaf 17 is heldagainst such movement with leaf 16 by reason of the engagement of rigidmember 21 in grooves 28, whereby to effect peeling or stripping of leaf17 from leaf 16. Thus, as shown on FIGS. 5 and 6, the adhesive bandage11 is progressively exposed on leaf 16 and, upon complete withdrawal ofthe latter from receptacle 26, the fully exposed bandage 11 can bemerely lifted from leaf 16 for use in the conventional manner. Followingthe complete withdrawal of leaf 16 from the receptacle, a pull may beexerted on leaf 17 to tear the same at perforations 24 in the case whereleaves 16 and 17 are only attached to each other by a tacky adhesive. Inthe case where leaves 16 and 17 are integral or securely attached at theends remote from tab 19, the pulling of tab 19 is continued so as toeffect tearing of leaf 17 along perforations 24 for separation from therespective rigid member 21, which in each case is left extending acrossopening 27 and engaged, at its ends, in grooves 28.

It will be apparent that the engagement of the projecting ends of rigidmembers 21 in grooves 28 serves normally to retain packages 10 withinreceptacle 26, that is, to prevent the inadvertent removal of thepackages through opening 27, in addition to effecting the peeling orstripping of the wrapping from each adhesive bandage in response to thewithdrawal of the respective tab and leaf 16 from the receptacle, asdescribed above. Further, since the rigid members 21 continue to extendacross opening 27 after the dispensing of the respective bandages 11,and since the rigid members substantially occupy the full lengths ofgrooves 28, there is no need to provide a loading spring or similarelement within the receptacle 26 for maintaining compact the stack ofpackages remaining within such receptacle.

Although FIG. 5 illustrates the removal or dispensing of a bandagecontained in the package 10 which is at the top of the stack of suchpackages remaining within receptacle 26, it is to be noted that anyselected tab of the packages in the stack may be pulled for dispensingthe respective bandage. By reason of the foregoing, it is possible toprovide a dispenser according to this invention that accommodatespackaged adhesive bandages of two or more widths.

For example, as shown on FIG. 7, a dispenser 25b according to thisinvention which is generally similar to the previously describeddispenser 25 may have the opening thereof at one end of the receptacle26b formed with portions 271: and 27c of relatively large and relativelysmall widths, respectively, to accommodate therein the tabs of packages1% and c which are of similar widths. The portions 27b and 276 of theend opening of receptacle 26b have grooves 28b and 280 extending alOngtheir opposite sides to receive the projecting ends of the rigid membersof the respective packages 10b and 10c, which packages are arranged ingrooves, one above the other, to provide the stack of packages withinreceptacle 26b. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, pulling of the tab of aselected one of the packages 100 will effect the dispensing of arelatively narrow adhesive bandage, whereas, pulling of the tab of aselected one of the packages 10b will effect the dispensing of arelatively wide adhesive bandage, in the manner described above withrespect to FIG. 5.

It will be apparent that, in the above described embodiments of thisinvention, the withdrawal of a package from the receptacle 26 or 26b bymeans of a simple pull on the tab of the package automatically resultsin the stripping of the paper or other flexible wrapping from theselected bandage and thus conveniently affords access to the bandagewithout the necessity of removing the paper wrapping therefrom after thewithdrwal of the package from the receptacle.

Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been describedin detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited to those preciseembodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effectedtherein by one skilled in this art without departing from the scope orspirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A package containing a flat, elongated article and comprising twoelongated flexible leaves which are superposed and separably joinedtogether along thin longitudinal edge portions and which enclose thearticle therebetween, one end of one of said leaves projectinglongitudinally beyond the adjacent end of the other of said leaves toconstitute a tab by which said one leaf can be pulled, and a relativelyrigid member secured to said adjacent end of said other leaf andprojecting laterally beyond said longitudinal edges to constitute meansby which said adjacent end of said other leaf can be retained againstdisplacement with said one leaf by a pull exerted on said tab, wherebyto peel said other leaf from said one leaf for exposing said article onthe latter.

2. A package according to claim 1, in which said other leaf has aweakened tearable zone extending laterally thereacorss adjacent saidrigid member so that, following the peeling of said other leaf from saidone leaf, a pull exerted on said other leaf is effective to separate thelatter from said rigid member at said tearable zone.

3. A package according to claim 2, in which said tearable zone isconstituted by a line of perforations in said other leaf.

4. A package according to claim 2, in which said leaves are secured toeach other by being integral at said ends remote from said tab and rigidmember.

5. A package according to claim 1, in which said flat, elongated articleis an adhesive bandage.

6. A package according to claim 5, in which said bandage includes anadhesive strip and a gauze pad located on said strip intermediate theends of the latter, and one end portion of said strip projecting beyondsaid pad is folded over the latter, thereby to minimize the length ofsaid leaves required to accommodate said bandage therebetween.

7. A package according to claim 6, in which said leaves are integralwith each other at the ends thereof remote from said tab and rigidmember.

8. The combination of a stack of packages each containing a fiat,elongated article and comprising two elongated flexible leaves which aresuperposed and separably joined together along their longitudinal edgeportions and which enclose said article therebetween, one end of one ofsaid leaves projecting longitudinally beyond the adjacent end of theother of said leaves to constitute a pull tab, a dispensing receptaclecontaining said stack of packages and having an opening at one endthrough which said tab of each of the packages projects, and cooperativemeans in said receptacle adjacent said opening and on said other leaf ofeach package to retain said adjacent end of said other leaf againstdisplacement out of said receptacle through said opening, whereby, whena tab of a package is pulled in the direction to withdraw the packagefrom said receptacle, said other leaf is peeled from said one leaf toexpose the respective article on the latter outside of said receptacle.

9. The combination according to claim 8, in which said cooperative meansincludes relatively rigid means projecting laterally from the oppositesides of said other leaf at said adjacent end thereof for each of saidpackages, and grooves in said receptacle facing each other alongopposite sides of said opening and receiving said rigid means of eachpackage in said stack.

10. The combination according to claim 9, in which said rigid means ofeach package includes a rigid member secured to said other leaf at saidadjacent end and extending laterally thereon beyond said longitudinaledges of the leaves.

11. The combination according to claim 10, in which said other leaf ofeach package has a weakened tearable zone extending laterallythereacross adjacent the respective rigid member so that, after exposingof an article on said one leaf of the respective package by said pullingof the tab thereof, pulling of said other leaf is effective to separatethe latter from said rigid member thereof at said tearable zone so as toleave said rigid member extending across said opening.

12. The combination according to claim 10, in which said opening hasportions of relatively large and relatively small widths, respectively,and said packages are of corresponding relatively large and small widthsand are arranged in said stack so as to have the tabs thereof projectthrough the portions of said opening which are of corresponding widths.

13. The combination according to claim 8, in which said fiat, elongatedarticle in each of said packages is an adhesive bandage.

14. The combination according to claim 13, in which said bandageincludes an adhesive strip and a gauze pad located on said stripintermediate the ends of the latter, and one end portion of said stripprojecting beyond said pad is folded over the latter to minimize thelength of said leaves required to enclose the bandage.

15. The combination according to claim 14, in which said leaves of eachpackage are integral with each other at the ends thereof remote fromsaid tab and said rigid means.

16. The combination according to claim 8, in which said cooperativemeans includes, for each of said packages, a rigid member secured tosaid other leaf at said adjacent end thereof and projecting laterallybeyond said longitudinal edges of the leaves, and grooves in saidreceptacle facing each other along the opposite sides of said openingand receiving said rigid member of each of the packages in said stack,and in which said other leaf of each package has a line of perforationsextending laterally thereacross adjacent said rigid member so that,after exposing an article of a package by pulling on the tab thereof,continuation of said pulling can separate said leaves of the packagefromthe respective rigid member at said perforations so as to leave saidrigid member extending across said opening.

17. The combination according to claim 16, in Which said receptacle hasa height substantially equal to that of said stack so that said rigidmembers of the packages substantially occupy the full lengths of saidgrooves, said receptacle has a lid to close the top thereof and saidgrooves open longitudinally at the upper ends thereof to receive saidrigid members and permit loading of said stack into said receptaclethrough the top of the latter prior to the closing of said lid.

18. The combination according to claim 17, further comprising aremovable cover to extend over said opening and enclose said tabs.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1940 Greaves 22171 2/1951Yoos 221-70 I FOREIGN PATENTS 1,215,721 11/1959 France.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner

